Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-2001

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Major Professor

J. Larry Wilson

Committee Members

David A. Etnier, Richard J. Strange

Abstract

A survey of the fish fauna of the Little Pigeon River system in Sevier County, Tennessee, was conducted during 1999 through 2001. Eight species which are present in the system or which may potentially be present are jeopardized (i.e. listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern by state and federal wildlife management agencies). The jeopardized species are Acipenser fulvescens, Phoxinus tennesseensis, Noturus sp. cf. elegans, Carpiodes velifer, Salvelinus fontinalis, Percina aurantiaca, P. macrocephala, and P. tanasi. In addition to the jeopardized taxa, Macrhybopsis storeriana, Notropis atherinoides, Pimephales vigilax, Carpiodes cyprinus, Noturus eleutherus, Lepomis megalotis, Etheostoma camurum, E. vulneratum, and Percina sciera were historically rare in the system.

Since 1932, 92 fish species have been collected in the Little Pigeon River system; however, 72 native species exist presently. Ichthyomyzon castaneus, Dorosoma petenense, and Lepomis gulosus are new system records. Noturus sp. cf. elegans, N. eleutherus, Lepomis megalotis, Etheostoma camurum, Percina macrocephala, and P. sciera are extirpated. Included within is an annotated species list, range maps, collection locality data, and vouchered museum material compiled from 410 collections.

The Little Pigeon River system is partially impacted by agriculture runoff, siltation, and waste water from the cities of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville. Declining water quality, particularly in the West Prong Little Pigeon River, has resulted in extirpation and range loss for some fish species.

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